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Saturday, February 1, 2014

Queen Victoria's Valentine?

Who would expect a song about Christmas would be a lovely Valentine?  
At Christmas time I love doing a program as The Hired Girl to present a look at Victorian Christmas.

Queen Victoria's Valentine, however, was her love for Prince Albert.  Go to the video of Tree of Love by Sabrina and Craig for a beautiful song about that love; views of the young Victoria -- so rarely seen in pictures of this long reigning monarch; also pictures of Prince Albert; and how they popularized the Christmas tree as we know it.

The song and pictures captures their young love so well.  The song simplifies the facts, as if the tree was new to Victoria, but on Sabrina and Craig's website their article notes, while still a princess, her German grandmother brought the Christmas tree to the palace; yet it was indeed the young family of Victoria and Albert that popularized it beyond the palace.

Victorian mourning outfits came from the Queen's decision to wear a black mourning outfit for the remaining 40 years of her life after Prince Albert died. 

As the chorus in Sabrina and Craig's song, "Tree of Love" puts it so well
Their days of walking hand in hand came swiftly to an end
As fate stepped in between and stole away her truest friend
His heart he left behind him   
With one who always knew its worth
Forever with his sweetheart
His treasure here upon the earth
She in turn did share it
With all the world you see                  
Love that shines eternal
Through every Christmas tree.

To my way of thinking, such a lovely song is as appropriate for Valentine's Day as it is for Christmas.

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